Are We Still Married?
by saralikeprada
Summary: Arizona is a 'thriller' novelist while Callie is a 'romance' writer. Forced to attend a writer's workshop the last thing either Callie and Arizona have in their mind is to bump into their estranged partners.
1. Chapter 1

**AN - So, this is a sweet edition. And it's a simple short story. In fact quite opposite of scandalous seduction. It will be wrapped up in 10 chapters or so.**

 **Chapter 1**

 _Begin your story at a moment of crisis, a point in time when your character's life is about to change forever._

 _~~ Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop Notes_

Arizona Robbins couldn't believe she was doing this. She wrote bestselling thrillers for women. Her readers didn't want emotional guff polluting the action. Women in her books were included for the sole purpose of providing sex, some hot lesbian sex no less, and sympathy while they fixed up her protagonist's wounds. And to bump up the body count. She almost smiled. Almost.

"The books are still selling really well — " her publisher Teddy Altman had told her

"— but you seem to have lost that wonderful humanity the women readers loved. Get back in touch with your feminine side, Arizona." The woman hadn't been making a suggestion. She'd meant it.

"Women buy a lot of books."

Arizona didn't have a feminine side. Not anymore. She grew up gay, when other girls played with dolls, she was in dirt tackling little spoiled boys down. Growing up she did developed a sweet soft feminine heart but that heart has been dead off lately. As for spending her weekend being lectured on how to raise the "sigh" factor in her books...

She said something rude, her mood deteriorating as she maneuvered her sports car toward the gothic pile that was the venue for a weekend workshop with bestselling romance novelist Calliope Hastings.

She repeated her curse, stocking up against her entry into a sugar pink, expletive-free zone.

Callie was not happy as she shifted gears, grinding the motor slightly. She didn't do signings, or talk shows, and she sure as heck didn't do workshops. But when your sweetheart of a publisher had promised a friend, had gone down on his knees, had been desperate enough to offer the loan of his precious car because it had a phone and she'd never be out of touch...

Late, she put her foot down on the accelerator.

Arizona cruised the packed car park. The venue, at least, was a bonus. The hotel had once been used as the set for low-budget horror movies and the weekend might be considerably enlivened by devising grisly literary ends for other members of the workshop. She grinned. She'd think up something really special for Ms. Calliope Hastings.

Callie's car phone rang and her heart gave a little lift as she pressed the hands-off button to answer it.

"Hi, sweetheart ... " Then, "Can you hold on a minute, darling? I need to park."

Spotting a space, Arizona shifted into reverse. Maybe she could get a book out of this workshop and her grin deepened as she considered a title. A Shroud in Pink Lace?

"What the — " she was jolted out of pleasurable thoughts of mayhem and murder by an ominous thunk and the sound of breaking glass. The positive thoughts evaporated; she'd gotten it right the first time. This was going to be the weekend from hell.

Climbing out of the car to check the damage, prepared to be reasonable on an 'I'll-pay-for-mine, if you'll-pay-for-yours basis', Arizona turned to check the damage and swallowed hard.

Her old Aston Martin was built like a tank and had scarcely sustained a scratch. But she'd hit a hundred thousand pounds worth of black Porsche and she let slip a phrase that she usually confined between the covers of her books.

"Ditto." The woman who'd been at the wheel of the Porsche didn't look up from her examination of the damage, but her voice gave him a moment of hope. Soft, slightly husky, the sound settled low in her vitals, stirring something that her heart reached for, but just slipped past the edge of memory...

Arizona shrugged, let it go. And fought to contain a smile. It wasn't all bad news. Bent over the buckled rear of the car in a short, close-fitting skirt, the lady displayed a physical framework to match all that classy German engineering. Her face was hidden by a dark curtain of thick blackish brown hair that shimmered in the light spilling from the entrance to the hotel, but the rest of her was a feast to behold.

Her legs alone were enough to give any woman or men straight-to-hell ideas — if a woman was in the market for that kind of thing. But she was the kind of woman that any one of her protagonist would be glad to have hanging off her left arm or dangled in sheets in erotic submissions and maybe, in the interests of research...

"Tell me," the woman asked, pre-empting her, without bothering to look up.

"Just what kind of idiot are you?"

The softness had been illusory. Not that she had raised her voice. Simply endowed it with an edge of sarcasm that would have cut through steel. Well, in her place, Arizona guessed she'd be feeling a little touchy too.

"I don't know," Arizona said. "How many kinds are there?"

Callie groaned inwardly. As if it wasn't bad enough that the stranger had done untold damage to poor Mark's precious car, the woman was a relic from some cliché-ridden romance. Ignoring the pick-chat up line, she straightened, unimpressed with Ms. Stranger.

But she couldn't escape the clichés. Even in the darkness of the car park she could see that the stranger was attractive. Her medium highted form silhouetted in dark was like a beautiful painting to her eyes. A car door opened nearby and in the brief burst of light she saw that the stranger was grinning, dimples popping and all, her mouth lifting at one corner in a way that left her momentarily floundering ...

"Didn't you see me?" she snapped, irritably and diverted her gaze to her car, pushing away disturbing memories.

"Doesn't that heap of junk have a rear view mirror?"

"Heap of junk?" Now Arizona was offended.

"My car, madam, is a hand-built '60s classic. The finest — "

"Classic? That's another word for old, right?" Then she seemed to forget about insulting Ms. Stranger's pride and joy and reached into her car to pick up the squawking handset. "Timmy, sweetheart, I'll call you in the morning. Miss you..." She made kissy noises into the receiver.

The lady was spoken for, it seemed, and for once Arizona found herelf wishing it were otherwise. Which didn't improve her mood.

"And what do you use your rearview mirror for, sweetheart?" She inquired softly, as she switched off the phone and gave her attention to the more immediate problem of the car. "Fixing your hair — "

"Oh, please!" Then, "But what can you expect from a woman who drives an outdated car except old-fashioned, chauvinistic ideas to match?"

"Fixing your hair while you're on the phone chatting to your boyfriend?" Arizona concluded. "You won't be his best girl when he sees the damage to his car."

Callie ignored the taunt. "Just give me your insurance details and shift that superannuated heap out of the way so that I can park," she said. "I'm going to be late for my weekend workshop."

"Workshop? You're going to the Calliope Hastings thing? Me too."

"Really?"

She sounded skceptical. Arizona didn't blame her.

"Absolutely. Can't wait," she said, making a virtue out of a necessity. "So, why don't we go inside and trade dents in comfort? I'm sure we can sort this out amicably over a drink."

"Can't wait," Callie echoed, faintly.

Arizona parked, grabbed her bag from the boot and they reached the hotel doorway at the same time. As she pushed the door open and held it for the other woman, she turned on automatic to thank her, and the light caught her face.

That's when Arizona remembered where she'd heard the voice before. Younger... Sweeter... She'd changed, changed beyond recognition, but a woman wasn't likely to forget the voice of the woman she'd married. Even if the marriage had lasted barely long enough for the Registrar's signature to dry on the certificate

"Thank you..." Callie took the door, waited for her to follow her into the light of the foyer, waited for Ms. Stranger to fill in the blank of her name. But she hadn't moved out of the shadows. Said nothing. "Are you all right?" The last thing she wanted was to get cozy with this woman, but when she still didn't move, she became concerned. "Did you get a whiplash or something?"

"Yes, that is, no..." Arizona stopped, gathered herself. "I'm fine," she said carefully. It was a lie.

She wouldn't have known her if they'd passed in the street. Hadn't quite remembered a voice not heard for more than five years. But the eyes... She would never forget a pair of liquid soulful brown eyes that had once bewitched her.

Callie Torres had been soft, sweet, an absurdly young 20-year-old, with lustful raven hair, lingering baby fat, and shoulders rounded from her attempts to disguise her puberty. Over-protected by dominating parents, she'd been dangerously naïve.

Not Arizona's type of girl. No way.

Shy and sweetly innocent and never-been-kissed, at least not the way Arizona would kiss her. Maybe that was part of the attraction for a girl kept on too short a leash. The danger.

And Arizona's excuse? That she'd been captivated by something fresh, untouched, that had shone from her? No one had believed that. Not for a minute.

"Callie..." Arizona said her name. That was all.

Callie caught her breath as every cell in her body went on red alert, responding with a familiar rush of adrenaline to the softness of her name on this woman's lips. Her real name. Callie. No one had called her that in so long. Only...

Callie gave a choked cry as Arizona stepped inside, let the door swing shut behind her.

"Arizona?" Callie said her name hesitantly as she half lifted her hand to Arizona's face as if to touch it, reassure herself that she was real and not some figment of her imagination. Then, as the light fell full onto her face, the blood drained from hers and reality kicked in. The last time she'd seen Arizona ,she'd been shouting to be heard over the angry voices, her tears, as she'd been surrounded by her family and bustled away from the Registrar's Office they'd chosen for their secret runaway wedding. Swearing that she would be back, that nothing, no one, could keep her away.

Five years ago.

 **AN - Let's hear it.**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Allow your characters to hold back what they really want to say. A story needs a nice build up before any sort of confrontation"_

 _~~ Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop Notes_

* * *

Arizona had been struggling then, a newly published author, with an edge of danger to lend her glamor. She had matured, Callie noticed, taken on polish along with the fame, the streetwise edge had been smoothed from her voice and she looked...great...damn!

But she was still a liar.

"It's been a long time," Arizona said.

Callie choked back the words gathering in her throat. The "Where were you? I waited but you didn't come" words.

"Not long enough," she replied and Arizona flinched as if Callie had hit her.

And how many times over the years had Callie dreamed of doing just that? There was no pleasure in it, she discovered, as she turned and walked away, dropping her bag beside the hotel desk. Just an overwhelming sadness.

"Not one more tear," she whispered shakily, as she gripped the pen, filled in the form. "'Not one."

"I'm sorry, madam?", the receptionist asked confused.

"Nothing." Callie mumbled.

Nothing. What a joke! Everything, more like it. The weekend was a mess. Mark's car was mess. That was Arizona Robbins for you. She could make a mess by just crooking one of those expressive eyebrows, or by flashing one of those damn dimples. But Callie would get the car fixed, just as she had fixed her battered heart. It would look okay. Work efficiently. Only she would know the difference, that it would never be quite the same again, never be quite perfect.

"Callie— "

She swung round to face Arizona .

"I'm busy, Mrs. Robbins" Mrs...Arizona smiled softly.

Callie picked up her bag, ready to go away from Arizona's intoxicating presence as far as possible, but Arizona beat her to her key and she clearly wasn't going to surrender it until she had got whatever it was she wanted.

"Please, Arizona! What do you want? What are you doing here?"

Arizona heard the desperation in Callie's voice. The unspoken plea for her to leave her alone. Well, she would. But not until she had got some answers. She was entitled to answers.

"My editor thinks I need to woo my women readers," Arizona said, relieving Callie of her bag and heading for the stairs. "He's hoping that the brilliant Calliope Hastings will pass on a few of her secrets."

"'Don't count on it."

Arizona glanced back. "You think I'm wasting my time?"

"No, you're wasting mine. Please give me my key.".Callie demanded adamantly and Arizona handed it over without a word. "And my bag"...

"You shouldn't be carrying anything this heavy. Has your mother put padlocks on all your — ?" Arizona was going to say underwear, but remembered the kissy-kissy phone call. Obviously not. She wasn't wearing her ring and Arizona wondered if Callie's boyfriend knew that Callie was still a married woman. Maybe the boyfriend didn't care.

"This is my room." Callie stopped, but pointedly, did not unlock the door.

Arizona wasn't ready to move on yet. "Why didn't you ever bother with a divorce?" she asked. "I was sure daddy Torres would insist."

If Arizona was hoping to provoke a reaction, crack the cool façade, she failed miserably as Callie slid the key in the lock, opened the door and picking up her bag in the same smooth movement, shut it in Arizona's face.

Despite everything, Arizona knew that given the choice, she would still have rather been on the other side of it.

Callie leaned back against the door, fighting the weakness, the temptation to fling it open and race after Arizona, demand to know if it had been worth it. She shut her eyes, as if to shut her out of her mind, her heart. She wasn't that gullible girl Arizona had married five years ago anymore. No way.

* * *

 **AN - So?**

 **AN - I'm sorry this is short but I just got a bit busy for a couple of days. I wil update soon again.**

 **AN - Loved you lots response on the first chapter. It means a lot to a newbie like me.**

 **AN - Also, you can find me on twitter calzonatumblr  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"Keep _your readers guessing about the history of the events but at the same time give them bits and pieces about your character's involvement in the said events"_

 _~~ Calliope Hastings's Writing Workshop Notes_

* * *

Arizona angrily rummaged through her suitcase as she looked for an appropriate attire to wear. She had stopped wearing dresses and gowns and skirts and other girly stuffs when Callie & she parted ways 5 years ago. She never felt like dressing up for anyone, her finest clothing only included a series of women suits and pants that she kept handy to attend award shows and likewise page three events. Other than that her wardrobe was just full of skinny jeans and flannels, and right now, that's all what her suitcase has.

She groaned annoyingly as she emptied the contents of her suitcase on the hotel bed. According to the program left in Arizona's room, there was to be a reception to meet the famous Calliope Hastings before dinner and she's dead sure that Callie will attend the event too.

It's not like she wanted to dress up for Callie, no, that's not the case. She just wanted to make sure that Callie sees it with her eyes what exactly she gave up. Arizona smirked at the thought and pulled out an brand new red flannel shirt, paired it with an black skinny jeans and knee high boots. Yup, that will do it.

* * *

Arizona stepped out of the bath, water dripping from her elegant form. Grabbing a plush towel from the hotel's rack, she dried herself off and then wrapped her body in the softness and moved to mirror. She took a moment to look at herself—a fairly common occurrence, certainly. But this time, she saw something she didn't recognize in her ocean blues. They sparkled with a life she'd never seen before...at least not in a while. It took her aback for a moment to five years ago when she wasn't this dark and twisty, when she was full of life and she tore her gaze away and then brought it back reluctantly. She sighed, unable to deny what she saw. That woman…that infuriatingly beautiful, intelligent, stubborn, impossible Callie Torres…she had gotten under her skin again. That carefully built wall, constructed brick by brick over the years—the wall that guarded her heart so carefully—had somehow been breached again. And Arizona was not happy about it.

Arizona turned her attention back to the mirror, and applied make-up, taking care to highlight her eyes—one of her best features—to their optimal advantage. Her long lashes complimented her ocean blue orbs, drawing more attention to her already impossibly gorgeous face. She can't remember the last time she applied any make-up or dressed to impress anyone, and the thought scared her and excited her equally.

Taking one last look at herself in the full length mirror in hotel's bedroom, she smirked, and turned on her heel.

* * *

The noise of the crowd rose to meet her as she went downstairs, but that wasn't why Arizona paused. Callie was ahead of her, stunning in a long sea-green silk tunic worn over a pair of chiffon trousers that billowed transparently around her legs. And heels as high as the Andes. Damn.

As if sensing her presence, Callie glanced back and for a heartbeat Arizona saw through the expensive designer style to the girl who had smiled so shyly at her and stolen her cynical heart. Uncertain, awkward, way out of her depth. Never ever comfortable with public scrutinity. Arizona instinctively reached out, took Callie's arm, felt its warmth beneath her fingers and they both shivered at the contact.

For a moment they were transported back five years, to a party getting out of control, when Arizona had seen how scared she was and whisked her out of harm's way... Then someone turned and saw them.

"Look, she's here! It's Calliope Hastings!"

Arizona turned to the eager faces of the women surging towards them, saw the momentary panic in hers. "No," she said, stepping forward, to protect her. "This isn't Calliope Hastings. This is — "

"Don't!"

Callie's sharp interjection was a millisecond too late.

" — my wife."

* * *

"Calliope, I'm Rachel Gibson. We spoke on the telephone. I didn't realize you were bringing your wife with you." Rachel turned to Arizona. "I had no idea that you and Ms. Hastings..." She foundered on the confusion of the names. "I've seen you on television of course and my husband adores your books."

Arizona smiled but before she could engage her, divert her from Callie, she said, "I'm so sorry about your room, Ms. Hastings. I thought you were coming alone. I'm afraid the two of you will be desperately cramped..."

Arizona let her twitter on, even though she was mistaken. Her concern was all for Callie who was riveted to the spot, her luminous brown eyes filled with panic exactly as they had been when she'd first seen her... "Ms. Gibson. Rachel," Arizona said, in an effort to stop the woman. "I'm afraid you've made a — "

"No!" Callie's hand tightened on her arm, warning her not to go on. And that's when the truth struck her with the force of a sledgehammer.

There was no mistake here. Only the one she was making. Calliope... Arizona remembered now that her mother had called her that. A name forcefully imposed on her, a name that made Callie an center of bullying throughout her high school, a name Callie hated passionately, a name she had erased from her records as soon as she graduated.

Calliope...Calliope Hastings was Callie Torres.

The girl Arizona had run away with — secretly married, then lost — was the brilliant, reclusive young woman who had taken the publishing industry by storm.

Which went along towards explaining why she was publicity shy.

After her first book was published, Arizona and Calliope Hastings had been invited to share the stage at a literary festival together. An unlikely pairing, but one the organizers felt had mass appeal. But it had never happened. Ms. Hastings had cried off with "family problems." Well, Arizona could understand that. Her family had always been a problem.

"Will that be all right, Ms. Hastings? Shall we do that?"

Callie clearly hadn't taken in Rachel's question.

"That'll be fine," Arizona interjected, quickly, rescuing her. She hadn't been listening, either, but her answer seemed to make the woman happy.

"I'll see to it. Now, Ms. Hastings, everyone is simply dying to meet you." Arizona watched anxiously as Callie was swallowed up in a throng of eager fans. That's how she'd lost her before, as Callie had been circled by her family, cut off from Arizona, swept out of reach...

"Are you here to research a book, Ms. Robbins?" She dragged her attention from the stranger who was her wife, smiling that brilliant megawatt smile as she stopped to engage with each and every single of her fan. Arizona's heart sank as she saw the eager face of a reporter from the local newspaper. Calliope Hastings was certainly getting the celebrity treatment.

"Or are you just here to give your wife the benefit of your wide experience? She doesn't usually do this sort of thing, does she? Is that why your marriage has been kept such a secret?" the reporter continued with a barrage of questions, her eyes alight with the prospect of a "big story."

"It's not a secret." It was a matter of public record like any marriage. "My wife simply prefers not to live in the media spotlight," Arizona said, enjoying the novelty of the word "wife." She was sick of the publicity too, but she had just dredge up something outrageous to keep the reporter satisfied.

"Can I get you a drink — " Arizona glanced at her name badge and smiled, "Lauren?"

* * *

Callie pushed her dessert around her plate.

"Not hungry, sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that. I'm not your sweetheart."

Callie had insisted that it wasn't necessary, but Rachel had rearranged the seating plan so that "her wife" could sit by her. And Arizona was still legally that. 'Til death do us part', she had promised. And she had meant it. They had said she was stubborn and stupid and they were probably right. Maybe if her parents hadn't tried to force her into a divorce she would have given in and signed the papers. But Arizona hadn't bothered with it, either. Callie had never understood why. It had been too late by then to prove her father had been wrong about Arizona.

Arizona leaned towards her, her jacket brushing against her sleeve in a gesture of such intimacy that she felt naked. Arizona could do that to her with just a look. Her eyes were so eloquent. They said, I see you — in my mind I'm touching you...

As her fork clattered to the floor, Arizona caught her hand, held it to still her shaking fingers.

"Nervous, Callie?" she asked.

"Not nervous. Angry. And don't call me that."

"It's your name Callie. Calliope— " Arizona shrugged, " — is just the baby name your mother persisted in calling you, long after it was obvious to anyone with eyes to see that you weren't a baby anymore."

Arizona was still touching her... She'd tried to forget how good that felt, blot her out.

She should hate her. "Leave my mother out of this. I haven't..." No. She wouldn't give Arizona the satisfaction of telling her that.

"What?" Arizona's gaze held hers remorselessly. "What haven't you done?"

"Nothing. Just... I'm Calliope, that's all. Always have been, always will be."

"Calliope!" someone called out, as if to prove her point and she glanced round, gratefully. There was a bright flash and, too late, she realized that she'd been photographed with her hand in Arizona's, like some "lost in love" teenager.

"Oh, terrific," Callie said.

"Maybe you're right," Arizona murmured, her dimples doing nothing to help. "Calliope."

She wished. It was the sexy way Arizona had said her name that had got her into trouble in the first place. Still could, she realized, belatedly snatching her hand away. She didn't know how she was going to get through the weekend with Arizona there, watching her through narrowed, knowing eyes. Remembering how it had been.

Deliberately Callie turned away, engaging the woman opposite in conversation.

* * *

Arizona kept staring at Callie, but Callie was doing her best game at avoiding her. She stood up and made her way towards the bar, ordering her favorite fix she turned towards the crowd, engaging nonchalantly with various publishers. But her eyes keep returning to Callie, who was now engaged in a hearty conversation with a Hercules look alike.

"Arizona, are you paying attention to what I am saying?" Asked the attractive woman that had been by her side for most of the evening.

"Huh? Yeah, Lucy. I... couldn't agree more," Arizona mumbled, her eyes unable to leave Callie's now moving form, her arms engulfed in Hercules's look alike's arms no less.

"Lauren," she began as she moved to stand in front of the distracted writer. "Great. I am glad that you agree. So, your room or mine?" Arizona leaned to the side in an attempt to regain her view of the oblivious brunette. Lauren shifted her body so that she was once again obstructing Arizona's view. "Arizona?"

"What?" Arizona shot to the other side, but retreated quickly when she noticed that Callie's chocolate orbs were now fixated on her. Smooth, Robbins. It's showtime. "I'm sorry, Lucy! I wasn't paying attention, but I am more than willing to make it up to you." Arizona trailed her index finger down her heaving breasts, "If you'll let me."

"That's Lauren," said the honey haired woman as she wasted no time and leaned in to nip at Arizona's neck. Arizona threw her head back, pretending to enjoy the woman's wandering mouth she snuck a glance at Callie, who was walking towards her purposefully. Arizona closed her eyes, hoping that her wife did not notice how bored she truly was.

Callie brushed past Arizona, purposely lingering long enough to whisper, "It's not going to work. In order for me to be jealous I would have to care."

Arizona opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly realizing she couldn't be bothered to give the reporter an explanation. She scooted out of her bar stool and stalked after Callie, but engage-and-chase game she was hoping to play with Callie died quickly within her when she saw Callie in Hercules look alike's arms, dancing to a sensuous beat. The wine glass in her hands broke with the force she was clutching it, breaking her skin in response and Callie's eyes immediately found hers again. She distangled herself from Hercules look alike's arms and was at Arizona's side in a heart beat.

Callie held Arizona's bleeding hand, her eyes watering with unhushed tears as Arizona winced in pain. And as their eyes locked on each other, both of them realized that they aren't the young lovers they once were. They have grown...changed.

* * *

 **AN - keep guessing!**


	4. Chapter 4

_"You should not be asking yourself "what can I make them do next". If your characters are blood-and-bones, heart-and-soul real, you will know what they would do, just as you instinctively know what someone close to you would do in any given circumstance."_

 _~ Calliope Hastings writing workshop notes._

* * *

Arizona Robbins was grinning and grinning hard. Perched up on the hotel's bathroom counter top, she couldn't help but smile as Callie stood betwwen her legs and fixed her hand. And as Callie lifted her head to meet her eyes, she couldn't stop her dimples from popping.

"I swear I married a child", she heard Callie's mumbling clearly.

"What was that?"

"You're still the same"

"What's that suppose to mean?" , the sweetness can only last so long after all, Arizona thought as Callie finished patching up her hand and moved away from her to wash her hand. The added space was unwelcoming.

"You and your games Arizona, you forgot I am your most prized victim"

Anger flared in the ocean blues of her eyes as Arizona stood up, wrapping her jacket around her hand, she inhaled sharply, as in to dilute her retort. Callie is in no position to accuse her of anything.

"I have changed...grown.." she added measuringly

"Could have fooled me with the stunt you pulled just minutes ago..." Callie's retort was quick as she made her way towards the door.

"That's what it was, a stint, and you damn know it that that woman was a no one" Callie's hand stilled on the door knob but she still kept her back to Arizona.

"I haven't been with anyone since you..."

Callie's head snap backed and met the teary azures that captivated her once upon a time. She was falling for her games again. So she steeled herself and left the bathroom instantly. Mingling back in the party was easy. After few minutes she saw Arizona as well, smile on her face like Callie didn't broke her heart just moments ago.

* * *

The evening workshop went well, but it was a relief to escape while Arizona was busy chatting up the press. Well, she'd got a lot to tell them. Callie just hoped they remembered that Arizona Robbins wrote fiction.

"My key, please," she said at the front desk, as the receptionist looked up.

"And mine," Arizona said, over her shoulder, coming out of no where. Of course.

The receptionist beamed at them both. "Rachel explained about the mix-up and we've moved you into the Windsor suite — "

"No! No really," Callie said firmly, panick settling deep in her stomach instantly, "that isn't necessary. I don't want to be a nuisance." she added hurriedly.

"No problem. The housekeeper supervised the move while you were at dinner."

"But — "

"Rachel said she'd cleared it with you." The young woman was clearly growing a little puzzled by their reaction.

Arizona's hand closed warningly on Callie's shoulder. "Yes," she said. "She did."

"Not with me she didn't," Callie hissed as, with her arm firmly about her shoulders Arizona directed her towards the stairs.

"You weren't listening."Arizona said under her breath. Neither of them had been listening to Rachel Gibson, but it had been her who'd filled in her expectant pause with a thoughtless, "That'll be fine..."

"You agreed to this?" Callie dug her heels into the thick carpet and forced Arizona to stop. "Just what do you think you're playing at?"

Arizona glanced around. The furiously muttered interchange had attracted attention. People were staring. Not good.

"Right now, sweetheart? I'm doing you a favor and playing at being a loving wife." And by way of demonstration, she lowered her mouth to hers and before Callie could protest, Arizona kissed her.

Her lips caught the plump one's in a sexy, tantalizing kiss. A quiet moan vibrated in Callie's throat. The texture of her mouth enthralled Arizona all over again as the years melted away like nothing. It was soft and sweet, but as Arizona deepened the kiss in that oh so familiar fashion, she discovered Callie plied her teeth and tongue with wicked sensuality. Despite the urgency rising in her body, Arizona maintained a slow, exploratory contact. Rushing this moment would be a mistake. She might won't get this moment again and she intended to savour every second of it.

* * *

Kissing Callie was the best idea she'd had all evening, Arizona decided. And the worst. She had caught her off guard, Callie'd had no chance to put up barriers, mental or physical, and her mouth was as soft and sweet as in the dreams that had never ceased to torment her.

But dreams were transitory things that were banished in the harsh light of day when it was easy to remind herself that the sweetness had been an illusion. That when it came right down to it, Callie genes ran true to type.

But this? This wasn't a dream. Arizona wasn't about to wake up and get a reality check.

* * *

Callie had dreamed of this. Night after night she had dreamed that Arizona would find her, come for her, take her in her arms and kiss her like this. It was only after she had finally accepted the truth that she had stopped seeking the solace of dreams and had fought to stay awake any way she could.

Sitting up, night after night, writing the fantasy — the hero who would cross continents, brave fire and flood for the woman he loved. Pouring her breaking heart out onto the paper.

But this wasn't a dream. Arizona wasn't her hero, far from it, and Callie pulled back sharply, stumbling a little as she realized too late that Arizona's hands were not holding her, or compelling her, but simply offering support. That she could have stopped the kiss at any moment she chose... But she had lingered, clinging to Arizona like a drowning man to a shipwreck.

"You shouldn't — " Callie began, her voice little more than a croak. "I didn't — "

"I know," Arizona said, softly, putting a finger to her lips in a gentle warning to be silent. "But save your feelings until we're somewhere more private. I've just about managed to convince the local reporter that she doesn't have a story."

Arizona smiled wryly and continued, "The national newspapers aren't interested in boringly happy celebrities. Don't ruin all my hard work by throwing a fit in public and giving her a tabloid headline."

Arizona let out a breath of relief as Callie groaned softly, let her head fall against her shirt front and allowed Arizona to usher her up the stairs, out of sight of prying eyes. "The Windsor Suite," she said, approaching the door, sliding the key into the lock, ushering her resisting body through the door.

"Do you suppose...?" Arizona stopped as they stepped over the threshold. Yes, there was. She could see the majestic four-poster bed through the double doors that opened into the bedroom.

"Don't!" Callie stepped away from her, holding up her hands as if to ward Arizona off. "Don't even think about it — "

"What? Oh, the bed..." And Arizona paused just long enough to let Callie think about it.

"No, I was simply wondering..." Arizona mentally crossed her fingers, "if there's a sofa." There was. A fancy brocade thing that didn't look comfortable enough to sit on, let alone sleep on.

"Quit wondering. Just collect your things and go."

"Go where? You want me to go back down there and tell them the truth?"

"The great Arizona Robbins admit that her wife threw him out of their room? I don't think so. You love your car so much, sleep in that."Callie shot back.

"Cold and uncomfortable." Arizona knew all about that. Sitting outside Callie's home day and night, refusing to go away despite the threats. Then Callie's father had called the police and she'd been arrested "on suspicion". When Arizona had been released the house was empty. And all that remained of her car was a crushed cube of metal junk at the side of the curb. Callie's note had arrived in the post the next day.

"So, it's cold. You should have thought of that before you rearranged the accommodation."

"I didn't — " Arizona began, then let it go. In her position Arizona wouldn't have believed Callie either.

"I'm trying to keep things civilized, Callie. I don't want to share your bed." It wasn't a lie. Her body would catch up with her head eventually.

Callie's fingers curled into her palms, the nails cutting into her flesh. Had it been so difficult for Arizona? Had bedding the innocent virgin been a real bore? It hadn't been like that for her. Arizona had made her feel like a princess, so special...Had even that been faked?

She dug her nails in harder. "You don't have any say in the matter."

Arizona held up her hands. All innocence. "You know me, darling. I never went where I wasn't invited." Callie felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered. Saw that she remembered as well. "Did I?" Arizona pushed, forcing her to acknowledge a desire beyond reason.

She had to be strong. Forget the kiss. Forget the spiraling desire that had blotted out five years in an instant. Arizona Robbins had always been trouble. She's that bad guy of the college that everyone knows is bad but they can't stop themselves from being attracted to her. Callie had known it from the moment Arizona had walked into that party, turning heads of girls who practically fell over themselves to get at her. Callie had looked too, she wasn't made of stone, but she'd known Arizona wouldn't be interested in her. She was just so open about herself... _her sexuality,_ where as Callie was all shy, fumbling with her coming out.

Then Arizona had turned, attracted by the commotion as Callie tried to escape the attentions of some idiot who'd had too much to drink. For a moment the world had stopped turning and then she'd said her name. Callie had been too stunned that Arizona knew it to answer her. But it hadn't mattered. She had reached out, taken Callie's hand, held it for a moment as if to reassure her before walking out of the party with her. Walking away with her, body, heart, and soul.

"Callie?"

She was doing it again.

"Please, don't..."

"You loved it when I said your name like that," Arizona persisted. She was closer. Callie could feel her breath on her face.

"That was before I knew..."

Arizona brushed a strand of raven hair from her cheek and Callie's cheek welcomed the touch, longed to nestle against her palm.

"Before you knew what?"

This was dangerous. She needed to keep a clear head. To remember..

"That you had made a virtue out of your mistake. You didn't know then that I had a pet name. You just knew I was Callie Torres. The only child of Sir Carlos Torres. Landowner. Banker. Millionaire. You saw me being harassed by some lout at a party and you thought...bingo."

"You believed that?"

She hadn't wanted to. She'd protested that Arizona, loved her — would do nothing to hurt her.

"You really believed that?"

"I didn't want to, Arizona." At first she had refused to believe it. So her father had set about proving it to her.

It could so easily have destroyed her, and indeed came close. But as she had held her baby in her arms she had felt only strength, the overwhelming rush of love, joy that she had gotten this one thing right. She wasn't going to ruin it all simply because, despite everything, she had never been able to stop loving Arizona Robbins. "But we both know that it's true."

* * *

 **AN - So here's Callie's side of truth. What's Arizona's misconceptions? Let's hear it.**

 **AN - loved reading you lots reviews and messages.  
**

 **AN - mini rant, you can skip it if you want. This is for both my stories, there are few statements by anons saying that I ruin my stories with Lauren. It's kind of petty, since I always use as a plot device, would you rather it be some faceless person instead? Isn't fan fiction is about already established characters?. Moreover, I'm sure these anons are the people who send me PMs to introduce Mark in my stories and have Callie and him go at it. Of course, Lauren is bitchwell but Mark is Jesus Christ himself. Smh, for me, they are both home wreckers and I will use them as I want. These are MY stories, if you don't like it, don't read it. Period.**

 **Have a good day.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part One :  
**

" _Introduce intimacy in your stories where there needs to be an actual conversation "_

 _~~ Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop Notes_

* * *

 _They were so young and naive when they fell in love. At least Callie was. After Arizona saved Callie on that graduation night party, a night that had been so similiar to this one, where the breeze smelled as if it had been washed clean and pure. Arizona had one too many and she had asked her to dance. Callie remembered how surprisingly good they had felt in each other's arms, how she had pressed herself against Arizona as if she wanted more than the dance — of course she did, though she knew Arizona was a bit surprised by her adavances, as if she couldn't imagine a girl like her doing that. Somehow they had ended up back in the back of Arizona's car — okay, not somehow, she damn well knew why she had wanted Arizona there._

* * *

 _Callie had been clumsy, eager, surprisingly sweet to taste — and then Arizona had felt her trembling and realized she was with the wrong woman for what she was after._

 _The memory brought back the same tenderness Arizona had felt back then, holding Callie, trying to calm her shaking. "You don't want me," she had said. "Not a girl like me, not for you." Callie Torres was the only willing woman Arizona Robbins had ever held back from._

* * *

 _Arizona's hands and mouth on her unleashed such a storm of unexpected longing that Callie realized if Arizona took her, she would lose her heart along with her virginity, and she was so far gone, she didn't even care._

 _Except Arizona hadn't taken her. To her horror, she had stopped. Mumbled something about not being the right girl for her. Yeah, she knew what that meant. Ms. I'll–sleep–with–anything hadn't wanted a fumbling virgin idiot when there were experienced women out that night, drunk and easy._

 _But then Arizona had held her for a while and they had talked easily, and laughed the same. Then she had driven her home and kissed her again, in a way that made Callie's humiliated heart recover enough of its pride to keep beating, and which made Callie, Arizona's eternal love–slave. No she didn't loose her virginity that night but she sure as hell lost her heart._

* * *

 _They dated casually after that incident. Callie was surprised at how skidish Arizona was_ _around her in the start_ _. Always treating her with utmost care and respect. It even started the rumours around the town that someone finally tamed the wild horse that was Arizona Robbins. Every moment they spent together, they fell in love with each other even more. And finally on Arizona's birthday, when Arizona finally expressed her feelings, was when they consumated their love. From two different individuals, they became one soul._

* * *

 _Six months into their relationship and Arizona's grand mother had fell horribly sick. She had one dying death bed wish - to see the next generation of Robbins clan. When Arizona had talked about her nonna's dying wish with her, she had also shared how she had lost her twin brother, Timothy, who lost his life serving in Afghanistan. That night, for the first time she had made Arizona felt like princess instead the other way around. She had tried to kiss away all her pain, lick away all her tears by worshipping her body till the wee hours in the morning._

 _The very next day they had decided that they will fulfil nonna's dying wish. Callie looked at it as something more to strengthen the love she shared with Arizona. There wasn't even a second thought about her carrying the baby, but they decided that the sperm donor will match Arizona's features. Callie so wanted their daughter to be a tiny replica of Arizona._

* * *

 _As with their luck, Callie got lucky with the very first try. She was so ecstatic that day when she reached their apartment to share her joy with Arizona that when Arizona got down on her knee and proposed her, she literally fainted._

 _But then Arizona had proposed again, explained to her how to share the parentage of their daughter, they have to be married. Callie was over the moon happy with that. She couldn't believe that all her dreams were coming true._

 _Her dreams crashed to nothingness at the same speed as they had rose up. Sure they got married. That was the best day of her life. But when word got out, her father, Sir Carlos Torres had arrived, bringing with him a series of bad news and reality checks._

 _It was_ _a week after their marriage when Arizona had to leave town for_ _the weekend_ _to attend a literacy_ _festival in Washington university, when he had arrived and told Callie about Arizona's ulterior motives in trapping her in a marriage. He had told her that Arizona had taken a huge amount from him in return of setting her free. But Callie didn't believed him, she knew Arizona from her heart, she knew she will do no such thing but then her father had shown her_ _the receipts of_ _Arizona's Nonna's tickets to Italy and just like that the very foundation of their marriage had crashed. Arizona's grand mother wasn't sick, she was on a vacation and Arizona had used that to her advantage._

 _"She only wanted you for the money I could offer..." her father had scoffed._

* * *

"You believed I wanted you for your money?" Arizona asked again. Callie said nothing, which was answer enough. Stunned, not because Callie's family had lied to her about her, but that Callie had believed them, Arizona let her hand fall to her side. "Why would I need your money? I had a contract for three books, film options — "

"Please! Don't treat me like a fool all over again, Arizona. It had taken you five years to get published, five years of living hand-to-mouth, doing anything you could to pay the bills — ", Callie said in desperation. It took a will of iron to survive, to keep going through the rejections, hold on to the self-belief.

Callie hadn't had to starve in a shack, but once she had refused to go along with her father's plans to put her life back together, it had been hard enough. She broke off as the phone beside the bed began to ring. She turned away from Arizona, picked it up, rapped out her name.

Dear lord! She had so nearly told Arizona that she understood. That she knew how hard it was, that she didn't blame her. Of course she blamed her. Not for taking advantage of a stupid, naïve young girl who had allowed herself to believe the fairy tale. She blamed Arizona for not caring whether she had a son, or a daughter.

Even now Arizona hadn't asked about their child. It was as if she had forgotten that Callie had ever been pregnant. She glanced towards Arizona and frowned. Did she think she would swept the whole thing under the carpet? Had their son adopted? Was she waiting for her to say something first?

"Callie, dear?" Her caller prompted.

"What?" she asked, distractedly. Then, "Oh, sorry — "

"Are you all right? You sound tense."

Angie Hastings knew her too well. Callie forced herself to smile before she answered.

* * *

Arizona picked up her bag. It was empty. They hadn't just been moved, they had been treated to a full valet service. Great. She really needed to hear Callie getting cozy with the owner of the Porsche as they cootchie-cooed goodnight. She pulled open a drawer, started to fling her clothes in the bag as Callie sank to the edge of the bed, kicked off her shoes, her mouth softening into a smile.

"No, I'm fine, really. How are things at home?" Callie asked it so sweetly at the phone that it made Arizona's stomach churn.

Home? They lived together? Arizona's heart clenched painfully in her chest. She felt...jealous. Hurt. Angry. That should have been her, at home taking care of their kids, while Callie did her great novelist thing...

* * *

 **AN : Part two will be updated this week only.**

 **AN : Thank You For Reading And Reviewing.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN - This in continuation of last chapter's events. Please read part 1 first (or again)**

* * *

Part 2

* * *

 _"Don't tame the desire, quench it"_

 _~ Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop Notes_

* * *

Arizona dragged her thoughts back from the precipice. Tried to imagine how it had been for Callie. They had lied to her about her, those pillars of the community, Sir Carlos Torres and Lady Lucia Torres...Ugh. Growling angrily she threw away her jacket and unbuttoned few top buttons of her flannel. The thought suffocated her.

She didn't fit the image they had of a suitable _husband_ for their daughter, so they had isolated her, lied to her, alternating between coaxing and bullying to get her to agree to an abortion, ending the precious life they had made together. Callie must have felt so alone and frightened.

If only Callie had had faith in her, believed in her, trusted her, held on... She had loved Callie so much, would have died for her — had died, inside, where it really counted.

Arizona stopped stuffing her clothes into her bag. If only she had understood at the time just how ruthless they could be.

"Don't fuss!" Callie was laughing now as this _man_ worried about her, fussed over her. Arizona wouldn't have believed it was possible how much that hurt if she wasn't feeling that hurt in person right now. Callie was still her wife. She had held out against divorce at least...

Arizona stared at Callie frowning. Why? What had been the point?

That was it! There was something wrong about this whole set-up and she was going nowhere until she had got to the bottom of it. Arizona crossed the room and plucked the receiver from Callie's fingers, just as she was telling her lover about the idiot who had rear-ended her car.

"I'm not some idiot," Arizona said, into the mouthpiece. "I'm Calliope's wife — "

"ARIZONA!" Callie protested.

"And we have a great deal to talk about." Then Arizona cut off the call.

"Arizona! You can't do that!"

"Callie," Arizona said, very quietly. "I just did."

"But — "

"But?" Arizona waited but there was no further reproof. Only Callie's breast rising and falling too quickly, first with anger and than with desire, the heat building in her eyes until the silver was molten with desire, the telltale flush that heated her cheeks, betraying her deepest need. Arizona recognized it instantly — because it was her deepest need too...

* * *

The years melted away as Arizona touched Callie's face, her fingers cool against her cheeks and Callie whimpered softly, unable to catch the telltale sound. But then she had always known how it would be. That there could be never be anyone else for her...

Arizona brushed back a loose tendril of hair, tucked it behind her ear, long fingers sliding through Callie's hair as Arizona cradled her head. So gentle. Callie had always loved Arizona's gentleness. Loved her.

Her eyes caught the glint of the metal nestled between the valley of Arizona's breast, shining in the low lights cascading from the glass wall behind Arizona's back and Callie gasped. Bare feets backtracked the cowboy leather boots until Arizona's back was firmly pressed into the glass wall behind her. In a haze Callie lifted her hands and softly picked the dog tags around Arizona's neck, her eyes filling with unhushed tears as she saw the familiar wedding band and the silver heart pendant hidden securely in between the two tags.

"'Til death us do part," Callie murmured. Nothing had changed.

"Callie..."

Arizona's voice brushed velvet against her skin. Her eyes were painted as liquid azures with a desire that she couldn't hide. No other person had ever looked at her like that, making her feel worshipped and deliciously wicked, all at the same time.

Whatever else Arizona had wanted from her, Callie didn't doubt that at that moment Arizona desired her as deeply as Callie yearned for her. Maybe they could turn the clock back, put right the mistakes they had both made. All it took was courage. And putting her heart on the line, Callie stepped into Arizona's arms and kissed her, boldly, her arms curling around Arizona's neck, offering her a second chance.

* * *

Callie's mouth was warm, her tongue silky sweet, intoxicating, her body pressed against the length of hers. It required Arizona's total concentration to hold back, let Callie set the pace, take control of where this was going.

When Callie's mouth trailed moist kisses from Arizona's mouth to her throat, her fingers loosening the buttons on her flannel, Arizona was pleased to play follow-the-leader. When her tongue teased at the hollows in her shoulder, her teeth nipped at her skin, Arizona was just half a step behind.

But concentration was tougher with every passing moment. Arizona was learning fast that following rather than leading, letting Callie decide what happened next, teasing her as she tried to anticipate Callie's next move, was blowing her mind. The thought that had snagged at her memory in the moments before Callie had kissed her was completely forgotten in the heat of their passion.

If this was getting in touch with her feminine side, Arizona was a convert.

"Arizona..." Callie whispered, her voice no more than a caress...

She said her name as Arizona had once said hers and Arizona's last coherent thought was that the past didn't matter...

* * *

They wasted no time in ridding each other of their clothes, familiarity taking over the years of separation easily. Callie didn't hesistated even for a moment in drawing Arizona back onto the bed with her and into whatever sensual aura it was that had imbued her senses. Pinning Arizona to the velvety duvet, Callie immediately straddled her, all the while prepping her skin with open mouth licks.

Kisses moist and flavored by the kindled ardor of anticipation dressed Arizona's lips. Hands sensuously radiating conveyed Callie's passion and the heightened sense of her desire as they sought out the most pleasurable places on Arizona's body to stroke and caress. And then one slipped effortlessly into Arizona's bikini panties to make love to her womanhood, first atop her lips, and then, as Arizona became more wet and opened in invitation, Callie slipped couple of digits inside the velvety dew of Arizona's pink enclave. There was nothing to do for Arizona, but to lie back, close her eyes, and be submersed in a pool of pleasure.

* * *

Wanting to reciprocate, to share in the sensuous delight in which she was so thoroughly immersed, Arizona reached for Callie, finding her center unobstructed and wet for her to explore. Running her fingers up and down Callie's mound, all the while holding Callie's gaze as she whimpered sensually into her mouth, loving the way Callie responded to her touch, listening to her moans of approval, the way Callie always verbalized her passion, feeling her wetness coating her hand, fondling her, rubbing her with the droplets of her own jucies until Callie erupted in the volcano of their shared passion, breathing heavily into her mouth and ultimately going limp atop her.

* * *

They reached the point together where only that most intimate of convergences can satisfy the longing to know each other in that most incomparable way. Usually they would stop and catch a few breaths before that ultimate union , but this evening there was no time for stopping and no desire to do so. Before Arizona could do something stupid like second guess their actions, Callie pulled down her panties, and after Arizona parted her legs to invite Callie in, she was inside her, filling the wetness of Arizona's vagina with two slick fingers as Arizona mirrored her actions, plunging passionately into each other, bringing one another over a most delicious edge.

* * *

It was like it used to be when they first got married and discovered this wonderful pleasure. There were times when they couldn't wait to get home and share their bodies in bed. It was hard to believe that something like this even existed, but it did, and Callie and Arizona always delighted in it. And it was what brought them to a closeness one would think not achievable. It was what ruined them for any other lover.

The scent of their shared loving perfumed the air in the hotel bedroom. The sounds they made, the words they uttered, the language of their bodies resonated around the room like a sensual symphony. Callie was personally glad for the soundproof doors.

Then with a shudder, they both came, and again Arizona just closed her eyes.

"Look at me Arizona... baby please" Callie spoke breathlessly as she kept rocking her fingers to prolong their union, "It's real baby...it's me, us...real"

The fact that Callie knew that Arizona might be thinking that all of this was just a dream was what made the blue Iris to open and lock on the liquid browns. Eyes conveying more than words can and Arizona finally let go too.

* * *

When it was over, Arizona thought they would just cuddle and fall into a wonderful sleep, but Callie kept touching her, caressing, kindling the fire, not letting the flame of their passion diffuse just yet, something that Arizona used to do when they were together...

Hours passed when finally they lay calm in each other's arms. Content, cherished, worshipped... loved!

* * *

 **AN - they should have talked, I know right?**


	7. Chapter 7

"In every love story, there will come a point where everything can be sorted out by honest communication. If you want to tell your story, do not let that happen"

~ Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop notes!

* * *

Arizona woke up feeling different, strange, and for a moment couldn't think why. Then Callie's head shifted against her shoulder and she knew. This strange, almost forgotten feeling was happiness.

For a while Arizona watched Callie, sleeping within the circle of her arm. It was a perfect moment. Asleep Callie was totally hers. Once they were awake she would have to contend with the real world and the owner of the Porsche. Sigh.

* * *

Callie woke with a slow, blissful drift into consciousness from a state of pure happiness. There hadn't been many moments like it in her life. The few precious weeks when she had first met Arizona. The first time she had held Timmy. This moment. Maybe. She opened her eyes and saw that Arizona was already awake, looking at her with an expression of such tenderness that she caught at her breath.

"I thought I must be dreaming." Callie mumbled groggily.

"Better pinch yourself to be sure," Arizona suggested, the tenderness transposing itself into the wickedest of grins. "Or maybe I can help." Her hand stroked softly over Callie's hip, her thigh, as if seeking a suitable place for her demonstration, but since she was also laying sloppy wet kisses on Callie's neck, it took a tap at the door to convince Callie that she was awake. This isn't a dream.

"Ignore it," Arizona said. "It's just tea and the paper."

"Tea? Dear lord, what time is it?"

"Relax, sweetheart."

Arizona resumed the tender trawling of Callie's neck with her lips, but she grabbed Arizona's wrist so that she could see her watch.

"Oh, heck. Let me up, Arizona Please. I've got a workshop in half an hour." Callie spoke hurriedly as she freed herself from her wife's grabby paws.

Arizona surrendered to the inevitable and rolled over onto her back to watch Callie as she grabbed her robe and tied it around her waist.

* * *

Callie tried to marshal thoughts that seemed determined on doing their own thing. With Arizona. She had to stop looking at Arizona, thinking about last night...the rest of her life. She had to phone home, she reminded herself forcefully. Right now. Timmy would be hopping around, driving Angie mad waiting for her call. She headed for the phone. Then she'd grab a quick shower — with Arizona? No! She would read her workshop notes over a cup of tea, there was no time for having breakfast...or Arizona! Ugh!

She suddenly thought of something else on her to-do list.

"Oh, heck," she said again and Arizona's brows rose in query. "I have got to call Mark!."

Arizona's brows snapped together and she couldn't help the sneer that came out of her mouth, "Mark?" she repeated. "I thought his name was Timmy!"

* * *

Callie felt numb, her hand poised above the phone, stilled, and her entire being went cold.

Arizona knew about Timmy.

All through a long and blissful night spent in passionate rediscovery of each other, their need had been to touch, to hold each other. They had all the time in the world for the whys and the hows, at least that was how it had seemed to her.

But Arizona didn't need the whys, or the hows. She hadn't said a word to her, asked about their son. Yet she had known about Timmy all along.

And in that split second she knew what Arizona had done. In her mind she saw again the check that her father had laid in front of her with the cashier's stamp on it, proof of her brand-new wife's betrayal.

And Arizona was doing it again. The ridiculous story about attending the workshop to brush up on her technique...This is Arizona Robbins for heaven's sake...

Then there was the cliché of the collision in the car park, the pretence that she didn't know who Calliope Hastings was..

The publishing world was small. Arizona had probably found out who Calliope was purely by chance. Dug around a little. Then remembered that there was a second seam to the gold mine.

Carlos Torres had paid up without a murmur to get his pathetic daughter back. How much more would he give to keep control of his grandson?

Arizona had had been so clever. She hadn't suspected a thing, not even when Arizona had probably switched the rooms. The phone rang once, twice, three times before Callie could force herself to move, lift the receiver.

"Callie Torres," she said. She was cold. So cold that if someone just tapped her she would shatter...

"Callie! Thank heavens. Now, lovie, you're not to worry..." She heard Angie's voice, but nothing registered until she heard 'worry'.

"What happened?"

"Timmy had an tumble...you know how excited he gets whenever the phone rings...and he thought it was you...we are at hospital right now...the doctors are with him..."

Callie's mind was suddenly crystal clear, "Which hospital? I will be right there!"

She grabbed the first clothes that came to her hand and shedding the robe, she began to dress.

* * *

"What's the matter?" Arizona asked in genuine concern.

Callie stared at Arizona in disbelief for a moment and then answered, "He's had an accident. I've got to go to him."

Arizona saw Callie's face and knew that she was in trouble. Callie cared about this man, really cared and Arizona allowed herself the indulgence of five seconds in which she hoped that her rival was in serious pain. Then she flung back the bedclothes and joined Callie in the scramble for clothes.

"What are you doing?" Callie asked as she pulled an oversized T-shirt over her head.

"You're in no fit state to drive." Arizona replied shortly as she wobbled a little to pull her skin tight jeans.

"Forget it, Arizona," Callie said. "It's not going to work." Her eyes were swimming with tears but as Arizona made her way towards her and put out a hand to touch her, reassure her, Arizona saw every shade of emotion cross Callie's features, from pain to guilt to...anger. "Please just go away and forget it."

"I can't. Not after last night.", Arizona spoke reassuringly but Callie immediately took a sharp step back.

"You don't have a choice. I have made two mistakes in my life. The first one was marrying you. The second was last night." She almost yelled.

Arizona let her hand fall to her side. This was not the moment to point out to Callie that last night had been her idea, that she had led every step of the way. And definitely not the moment to bring up the way she had clung to her, the need in her voice as she cried out for her. It was the moment to be practical.

"You can't drive the Porsche," Arizona reminded her as she faced away and buttoned her flannel, she can't let Callie see the pain on her face, she can't be vulnerable, not again, "The rear lights are smashed."

"I'll call a taxi."

"You won't do anything of the kind."

Guilt was driving Callie to reject Arizona. Timmy had been in pain while she had been in her arms. She was pushing Arizona away, trying to wipe out the night they had spent together.

But Arizona wasn't going to let that happen. "It'll take forever for a taxi to get here," she said, taking Callie's coat from the wardrobe, gathering her handbag as she still hesitated, glancing uncertainly at the phone. "He needs you now, Callie."

Callie turned on her, "Please don't pretend you care — "

"Callie, please don't — "

"What?..." She challenged Arizona stepping in closer, "Please what?"

Blame yourself. That's what Arizona had been going to say. Please don't blame yourself. Bad idea. What, then? Please don't worry about this man who, despite last night, I can see from your eyes means everything in the world to you? Arizona tried not to think about that.

"Please don't let's waste time arguing."

That did it. With a small mew of anxiety that tugged painfully at her heartstrings, Arizona turned and headed for the door


	8. Chapter 8

_"Chemistry and spark! You either have it or you don't"_

 _~Calliope Hastings writing workshop notes_

* * *

Callie never wanted to live through another journey like that, her mind running over every nightmare scenario a mother feared, while Arizona , grimly silent, concentrated on the road, edging the speed limit every inch of the way.

Arizona pulled up at the entrance to the hospital and made a move to get out, open the door for her.

"Don't!" Callie said curtly, "You can't stay here."

"I know. I'm going to park — " Arizona's response was quick.

"There's no need. I appreciate the lift but you don't have to stay. I don't want you to stay." Callie climbed out as quickly as she could, discovering too late that her legs were like jelly and she was shaking uncontrollably. Arizona was at her side in a moment, her arm at Callie's back, holding her gently while she steadied herself.

"He'll be all right," Arizona said, reassuringly.

"Will he?" Callie asked, leaning on Arizona's faith. Angie had said it was nothing serious, but... "He fell on the stairs — "

For the briefest moment Arizona put her arms about her and Callie clung to her for comfort as she hugged her. Then Arizona straightened, pointed Callie in the direction of the door. "Go," she said. "Go and find him. I'll be with you as soon as I've parked."

"No." Callie's ache for her wife had never diminished and last night was a memory that she wanted to keep as something special, untarnished. But Arizona was so good at this, her warmth so seductive. She didn't care about herself, but Timmy would love her too and then Arizona would leave them both.

Callie took a deep breath. "I don't want you to stay," she repeated, pushing the words out, one at a time, each one a blow to her heart. "You tried, Arizona. It didn't work. Please don't make things worse."

Arizona could feel Callie's pain and it twisted her gut like a fork tangling up spaghetti. "Callie, you're stressed. Let's talk about this later."

"Please! For once in your life do something completely unselfish. Walk away. Drive away. Now." Callie couldn't hold down her anger and frustration anymore.

Arizona understood why Callie felt she had to send her away, but she wasn't going anywhere. "You'll have to go back to the hotel for your things. If I leave now how will you get there?", she reasoned.

Callie groaned. "The hotel! The workshop! They'll all be waiting — "

"Forget the workshop. I'll sort it out." Arizona hurriedly supplied. Callie looked at her doubtfully for a moment.

"Trust me," Arizona said. "I'm a writer."

"'That's not a character reference."

"No, but it means I can find someone to take on your wretched workshop so that you can forget it. Go and see what's happened to Timmy."

Callie hesitated, then accepting she needed Arizona for this said, "Thank you."

"You're entirely welcome," Arizona murmured thanking heavens for this one small victory as she watched Callie walk away from her and get swallowed up in the frantic swirl of activity in the accident and emergency department.

* * *

Arizona parked, found a phone, called a well-loved writer who lived 10 minutes' drive from the hotel and promised her her soul in return for taking over the workshop, then she called Rachel and put her in the picture. Only then did she headed back to Accident & Emergency.

Arizona knew that very formal "thank you" from Callie had meant goodbye, but she would need her, if only to get home. Maybe, if Timmy was badly injured, she would need her for a lot more than that and Arizona would be there. Always.

Arizona wasn't fooling herself. Last night was rapidly looking like a one-off. What, for a moment, had seemed like a new start to a golden future had been put on indefinite hold by this Timmy's accident.

Callie wasn't in the waiting room and Arizona soon realized she didn't have Timmy's surname to inquire where he'd been taken.

"Arizona Robbins? You are Arizona Robbins? I have seen your photograph in the newspapers." Arizona smothered a groan. The last thing she needed was an eager fan and she turned reluctantly to be confronted by a small motherly woman. "Callie's with the doctor.", the woman supplied.

"You were with Timmy? Is it very bad?"

"He'll survive."

That could mean anything. Years in a coma, life in a wheelchair. And Arizona knew that she could do nothing to protect Callie from the consequences of that. She would never persuade her to leave Timmy if the man needed her.

"I'm Angie Hastings in case you were wondering," the woman added.

"Hastings?", Arizona wondered aloud. So that's where Callie had acquired her new surname.

"We spoke, or at least you spoke, on the phone last night," the woman supplied.

"Last night? But — " Arizona was clearly confused.

"I cleaned for Lady Torres, years ago," the woman said, taking pity on Arizona's confusion. "I only stuck it out for Callie. You know, her parents had always wanted a boy, never forgave her for being a girl, poor mite. She came to me when she finally made the break from them."

Angie put her head on one side. "It's about time you put in an appearance", she looked at Arizona up and down,"I just hope you're not planning another kiss and run." And with that the woman smiled into the space behind Arizona and began to move. "Here they are."

Arizona spun round. Callie had her back to her as she thanked the doctor. She was gloriously, beautifully disheveled in the mismatched assortment of clothes she'd thrown on in her rush to get to the hospital, and Arizona loved her so much that it hurt. But love sometimes meant sacrifice. Making things easy for the other person —

Arizona watched as Callie shook the doctor's hand, then turned to look around the waiting room for Angie. That's when Arizona saw the child she was holding, his little arm protected by a light cast.

A child who could only be a few months over four years old, with a mop of blonde curly hair and laughing blue eyes. A boy she recognized from faded photographs of her twin brother Timothy at that age. And it all hit her like a freight train. The boy wriggled in his mother's arms, impatient to be let down so that he could show Angie Hastings his cast.

Arizona automatically took a step forward, tried to speak, say something, anything. "Timothy..", she croaked.

The child stopped fidgeting, glanced at her curiously. Turned to his mother. "Who's that?"

* * *

Callie thanked the doctor, then turned to look for Angie and with a sinking heart realized that Arizona is with her.

But as Arizona turned, saw them, Callie saw no gleam of triumph, or avarice light up her ocean blue eyes. There was only confusion swiftly followed by recognition and color-draining shock.

Then Arizona took a step forward as if in a dream, and reached out for the boy, said his name. Asking who he was, Timmy stopped wriggling then, after a moment's thought, leaned away from her, holding out his arms, eager to make a new friend.

The child reached out to her and Arizona took him, held him for a moment, settled him against her chest, robbed of speech by the purest wonder.

Timmy, though, wanted to show off his battle trophies. "I've broken my arm," he said, confidentially. "Look." And he held up the cast for Arizona to see.

Arizona's throat was so tight that she was forced to swallow before she could speak. "Did it hurt?"

"A bit," Timmy admitted. "I didn't cry though." Then, with a tiny frown, he asked again, "Who are you?"

"I...I'm your Mama."

* * *

 **AN - I know it's been ages but that's what bullies do to you. I don't want discuss anything more. I will try to finish both my stories.**

 **xo, Rita**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Arizona's throat was so tight that she was forced to swallow before she could speak. "Did it hurt?"**_

 _ **"A bit," Timmy admitted. "I didn't cry though." Then, with a tiny frown, he asked again, "Who are you?"**_

 _ **"I...I'm your Mama."**_

* * *

Callie's heart was beating wildly, her eyes were fluttering with suppressed tears as, with a look of wonderment, Arizona gently brushed her finger against Timmy's cheek. "I'm your Mama," she repeated, as if the words were brand new. As if she was the first woman in history to say them.

"Really?" Timmy asked innocently and Arizona could only nod wordlessly, as Timmy considered her response.

"Mom always told me that I have another Mama and that I'm named after uncle Timothy...are you Arizona?"

Arizona slumped back on her heels in bewilderment as Callie's hand flew to her mouth and just on cue Timmy turned to her. "Can I show Mama my car when we get home?"

"You've got a car?" Arizona asked.

"It's got a horn and lights and everything. I have to drive it in the garden though, not on the road."

"Will you give me a ride?"

Timmy giggled. "You're too big."

"It's a pedal car," Callie corrected in, quickly.

Speaking had been a mistake. It reminded Arizona that she was there. And her eyes, as she looked up, lost the soft mistiness of emotional overload, warning Callie that she'd better have a good reason for keeping her son from her.

Well, Arizona needn't think that a belated attack of motherly feelings would impress Callie. She'd had a good reason as she very well knew.

"I'll go and fetch the car, shall I?"' Angie suggested.

"Good idea," Arizona said. "We'll all go home together."

"But your car — " Callie interjected. She was losing control. Correction, she had lost control the moment Arizona Robbins walked back into her life.

"I'm coming with you and Timmy," Arizona said. Her voice remained quiet, but with a strand of steel that warned Callie she'd better not argue.

And for the first time in five years Callie felt a moment of doubt.

* * *

"How could you have done it? How could have you Kept him from me?"

They were home. Arizona had admired Timmy's car and every possession he held dear with a patience that left Callie pulling her lips tightly back against her teeth. Finally, Angie had tempted Timmy away for lunch and now they were alone.

"You really didn't know?" Callie asked.

"Do you think that if I had known I had a son, anything would have stopped me from finding you both?" Arizona was panting with anger, eyes burning with hushed tears, threatening to fall and consume her whole. She cannot believe she had missed so many precious years of her son's life.

The doubts intensified and Callie swallowed hard before she forced out the words. "Not even a hundred and fifty thousand dollars?"

"Is that how much they said I took to walk away?" Arizona shook her head, then bit out harshly, "I don't know which is worse. That you believed I would take their money. Or that you would value yourself so low."

"Then...what did you think I had done, Arizona?", Callie questioned confusingly.

"Don't ask." Arizona spat out instantly. Don't ask her to tell her about the painful images that she had lived with. Arizona couldn't believe she has been so gullible, so easily taken in. But the letter had been in Callie's handwriting, signed by her.

 ** _"Arizona — it's all been a terrible mistake. I have had an abortion. I don't want to see you ever again." ~ Callie_**

* * *

 ** _AN - Just one more chapter to go!_**

 ** _XD Rita!_**


	10. Chapter 10

**_Nothing says romance more than heartfelt confessions_**

 ** _\- Calliope Hastings Writing Workshop No_** tes

* * *

"Don't ask," Arizona repeated.

"You don't want to know what I believed." She swung around to stare out at the garden so that she didn't have to see the look in Callie's eyes as she realized the truth — that Arizona thought she had gotten rid of their unborn baby.

Callie's hands flew to her mouth as she almost choked at the thought.

"Arizo...I will never.." Callie could hardly form any words.

"It was all a lie. A filthy, stinking, rotten lie and I believed it." Arizona rubbed at her face as if to wipe away the guilt. "God help me, I believed it. I suppose I have got no more than I deserved for not trusting in you."

And the elusive thought that had been bothering her before they had made love last night finally crystallized perfectly in Arizona's mind. "I mean, what was I thinking? Your parents couldn't bully you into a divorce so why on earth did I believe that you would have surrendered on something so much bigger, so much more important?"

"Tell me, Arizona," Callie insisted. "Tell me what exactly did they said."

"Said? They didn't have to say anything." Arizona had carried the letter with her always. A warning never to love again, never to trust her heart. She reached into her jacket and from the back of her wallet she extracted the letter, turned and held it out to her.

Callie took the wretched piece of paper. It had been ripped into pieces, then stuck back together. The creases were worn with handling and it was only the tape that was holding it together. It didn't take long to read.

"Arizona — it's all been a terrible mistake. I've had an abortion. I don't want to see you ever again, Callie."

She made a small, involuntary sound as she imagined Arizona's pain... Then she looked up. "I didn't write this, Arizona, my mother did." She folded it back up into the worn creases and offered it back to her. Arizona just shook her head. "She had such an beautiful handwriting. I worked hard to copy it." Then, "If it's any consolation, trying to persuade me into an abortion was the last straw. I left with Angie and we've never been back. They've never seen Timmy."

"'Don't apologize. Don't ever apologize for your family. I'm the one who should be groveling here." Arizona insisted.

"No — " Callie lifted her chin a little. "'We both made mistakes. I should have been stronger — if I'd had the courage to tell them that I loved you instead of persuading you into a runaway wedding, if we had stood together they couldn't have parted us. But penniless writer runs off with heiress... That put you in the wrong from the word go."

"Not penniless. Far from it."

Callie shrugged, hopelessly. "Who would have believed you wanted me just for my body?"

"It's a great body, but I swear I love your mind, too..." Arizona offered a tentative smile along with her hand.

Callie took it briefly, then turned to a small desk. "My mind isn't that great. I doubted you too, when I should have believed." She opened a drawer, stared for a moment at the check for one hundred thousand pounds bearing a cashier's stamp: Paid in full. She picked it up, turned and gave it to Arizona.

"I have never seen this before." Arizona looked up. "It's made out to me but — "

"Lies," Callie said. "They did it to both of us. My father laughed when he gave it to me. He said you were cheap, that he would have paid five times that amount to prove to me what kind of woman you were."

"What kind of woman do you believe I am, Callie?" Arizona laid her hand against Callie's cheek, her eyes soft as melted toffee.

* * *

It felt so perfect perfect, as if she'd spent the last four years holding her breath, waiting for this moment. And Callie leaned into Arizona, rubbing her face against her palm. "You're like most women, Arizona," she murmured. "A long way from perfect. But then perfect would be tough to live with. You're a lot better than most." Callie turned and tenderly kissed Arizona's hand and looked up at her. "The only woman in the world I have ever loved."

Then, with her voice straining through a throat thick with tears, Callie continued, "This is where you get to kiss me," she prompted, sliding her hand into Arizona's hair, tangling it in her fingers to draw her closer to her. "And the orchestra plays the violins."

Arizona's smile was slow, but her eyes were heating her from the inside out. "To tell you the truth, Callie, I wasn't planning on an audience for this next bit." Then, with her mouth an inch from Callie's, she stopped. "No, wait."

"I've been waiting four years..."

"There's one more thing I don't understand. Who the devil's Mark? And what were you doing driving his Porsche?"

Callie groaned and leaned against her shoulder. "Thanks a lot, Arizona. You've just ruined the perfect moment by reminding me that I've got to confess to my publisher that his car is a wreck."

"Your publisher? That is serious." Then Arizona grinned. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I'll get it fixed, I'll even tell him that it wasn't your fault — "

"It wasn't..." Callie began, but Arizona pulled her close, stopped her protest with the most tender of kisses.

And then, once she had Callie's undivided attention, Arizona murmured, "Now cue the violins."

* * *

"Momma?"

Arizona jerked awake, thought for a moment she had been dreaming. Then she saw Timmy standing beside the bed peering anxiously at her in pre-dawn light.

"What is it, Timmy? Does your arm hurt?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you were still here."

Not a dream. This small anxious little boy with his hair tousled from sleep, his arm in a sling, is her son, the child she thought forever lost.

"I'm home, Timothy," she said. "I'm not going anywhere without you ever again."

Arizona lifted the cover and Timmy needed no encouragement to scramble into bed beside her, his anxious frown immediately transformed into a wide grin.

"Do you know any stories?"

"A few," Arizona said, trying to think of something a four year old would enjoy.

At her back a very _naked_ Callie moved closer to nuzzle Arizona's neck. "Once upon a time..." she prompted, propping herself up on her elbow, so that the three of them were all together, a real family. Arizona doubted that this was what her publisher had in mind when she'd advised getting in touch with her feminine side. But it worked for her and her own grin must have set some kind of record.

"Okay, here goes," Arizona said. "Once upon a time..."

* * *

 **AN - So this is it. SS will have an update by the weekend. I have few more story ideas in mind. Let me no if you guys want another sweet edition or a scandalous one.**

 **P.S how was this one?**

 **AN - Also, I was pretty clear from the start about the length of this fic. Apologies if this doesn't meets your expectations.**


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